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Forensic Sciences, Volume 5, Issue 3

2025 September - 19 articles

Cover Story: Anabolic–androgenic steroids (AASs) used for performance enhancement may cause neurotoxicity. This narrative review summarizes evidence on neurochemical changes, brain structure/function, cognition and psychiatric outcomes. Chronic AASs exposure disrupts serotonin and dopamine, promoting mood symptoms, aggression and cognitive deficits. Alterations in prefrontal and limbic regions suggest possible long-term damage. AASs are associated with higher risks of depression, anxiety and psychosis, potentially via hormonal dysregulation and neuroinflammation; polysubstance use worsens effects. Evidence supports a link, but mechanisms and long-term consequences remain unclear, underscoring the need for biomarkers, targeted interventions, and prevention/education. View this paper
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Articles (19)

  • Article
  • Open Access
6 Citations
3,016 Views
16 Pages

Background/Objectives: Clinical documentation of injuries is essential for forensic evaluation, especially in criminal cases. However, vague descriptions and inconsistent terminology often reduce the forensic utility of these records. This study exam...

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Interdisciplinary Frontiers in Forensic Sciences: Innovations, Ethical Principles and Collaborative Approaches)
  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
3,105 Views
20 Pages

Background/Objectives: This paper presents cranial MMS data for an American Indian (AI) sample from New Mexico. We compare these data to other population reference samples to understand biological distance and classification patterns. Methods: Crania...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
4,691 Views
13 Pages

Suicide in Prison: A Forensic Analysis of Sixteen Cases in Correctional Settings

  • Maria Puntarello,
  • Ginevra Malta,
  • Mauro Midiri,
  • Tommaso D’Anna and ,
  • Giuseppe Davide Albano,
  • Stefania Zerbo and
  • Antonina Argo
  • + 2 authors+ 0 author

Background/Objectives: Suicide in prison is a significant medico-legal and public health concern, with rates several times higher than in the general population. Vulnerability is heightened by psychiatric disorders, substance use, and custodial stres...

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Interdisciplinary Frontiers in Forensic Sciences: Innovations, Ethical Principles and Collaborative Approaches)
  • Article
  • Open Access
3 Citations
2,836 Views
25 Pages

Growth and Development of the Cranial Complex and Its Implications for Sex Estimation

  • Kyra E. Stull,
  • Christopher A. Wolfe,
  • Briana T. New,
  • Louise K. Corron and
  • Kate Spradley

Background/Objectives: The incorporation of the human growth and development literature, an ontogenetic framework, a large virtual sample of individuals across the entire growth period, and a contemporary sample of adult individuals provides a unique...

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forensic Anthropology and Human Biological Variation)
  • Case Report
  • Open Access
2 Citations
7,869 Views
13 Pages

Sodium Nitrite-Related Fatalities: Are We Facing a New Trend? Case Report and Literature Review

  • Valentina Caparrelli,
  • Margherita Pallocci,
  • Roberta Tittarelli,
  • Carmelo Russo and ,
  • Laura Donato,
  • Francesca Ponzani,
  • Pierluigi Passalacqua,
  • Filippo Milano and
  • Michele Treglia
  • + 4 authors+ 0 author

Suicide is a public health concern worldwide. The methods used worldwide can vary based on geographical context and the ease with which victims can find the means to act on suicidal thoughts. In this context, the recent emergence of an online market...

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Interdisciplinary Frontiers in Forensic Sciences: Innovations, Ethical Principles and Collaborative Approaches)
  • Article
  • Open Access
3,050 Views
22 Pages

Background/Objectives: Methods of estimating the biological profile in forensic anthropology must meet criteria set forth by standards for admissibility in legal proceedings. Subadult biological profile methods have not been as extensively validated...

  • Review
  • Open Access
4 Citations
3,377 Views
13 Pages

From Laws and Court Rulings to Daily Clinical Practice: The Role of Forensic Experts in Modelling Informed Consent Disclosure for Health Treatment

  • Livio Pietro Tronconi,
  • Vittorio Bolcato,
  • Luca Bianco Prevot,
  • Alessandro Carrozzo and ,
  • Giulia Bambagiotti and
  • Giuseppe Basile
  • + 1 author+ 0 author

Informed consent is a fundamental component of both the right to health and self-determination. Its violation, which occurs when the acquisition process is absent or flawed, can also lead to legal proceedings for isolated harm, regardless of the simu...

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Interdisciplinary Frontiers in Forensic Sciences: Innovations, Ethical Principles and Collaborative Approaches)
  • Case Report
  • Open Access
2 Citations
3,465 Views
12 Pages

Post-Mortem Animal Bite Mark Analysis Reimagined: A Pilot Study Evaluating the Use of an Intraoral Scanner and Photogrammetry for Forensic 3D Documentation

  • Salvatore Nigliaccio,
  • Davide Alessio Fontana,
  • Emanuele Di Vita,
  • Marco Piraino and ,
  • Pietro Messina,
  • Antonina Argo,
  • Stefania Zerbo,
  • Davide Albano,
  • Enzo Cumbo and
  • Giuseppe Alessandro Scardina
  • + 5 authors+ 0 author

Digital dentistry is undergoing rapid evolution, with three-dimensional imaging technologies increasingly integrated into routine clinical workflows. Originally developed for accurate dental arch reconstruction, modern intraoral scanners have demonst...

  • Review
  • Open Access
3 Citations
8,655 Views
29 Pages

Legal Perspectives on Sexual Violence: A Cross-European Study

  • Paola Frati,
  • Stefania De Simone,
  • Giovanni Pollice,
  • Elena Giacani and ,
  • Luigi Cipolloni and
  • Francesco Orsini
  • + 1 author+ 0 author

Background: Sexual violence poses a significant challenge to European lawmakers, impacting the victim’s physical and psychological health. This study examines sexual violence legislation across EU member states, Switzerland, and the UK, analyzi...

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Interdisciplinary Frontiers in Forensic Sciences: Innovations, Ethical Principles and Collaborative Approaches)
  • Article
  • Open Access
4,020 Views
14 Pages

Human Stature Estimation Using Cranial and Mandibular Measurements

  • Maria João Couto,
  • Áurea Madureira-Carvalho and
  • Inês Morais Caldas

Background: In forensic anthropology, estimating stature is an essential part of constructing the biological profile of unknown individuals. While long bones are typically used for this purpose, they are often missing or incomplete in forensic contex...

  • Communication
  • Open Access
1 Citations
5,069 Views
15 Pages

The disappearance of foreign minors in Italy is a long-standing and critically underexamined social phenomenon. Despite alarming figures, public and institutional attention remains episodic and media-driven, often limited to high-profile or criminal...

  • Review
  • Open Access
5 Citations
5,554 Views
16 Pages

Background: Positive identification is at the forefront of tasks for forensic practitioners when a set of remains is discovered. Standard means of identification include fingerprints, dental, and DNA analyses; however, additional methods are utilized...

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forensic Anthropology and Human Biological Variation)
  • Case Report
  • Open Access
4 Citations
6,330 Views
16 Pages

This case report presents a multidisciplinary forensic investigation into a cold case involving a missing person in Italy, likely linked to a homicide that occurred in 2008. The investigation applied a standardized protocol integrating satellite imag...

(This article belongs to the Topic Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Techniques and Applications, 2nd Edition)
  • Systematic Review
  • Open Access
5,894 Views
12 Pages

Advances in Understanding Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: A Systematic Review of Clinical and Pathological Evidence

  • Francesco Orsini,
  • Giovanni Pollice,
  • Francesco Carpano,
  • Luigi Cipolloni and ,
  • Andrea Cioffi,
  • Camilla Cecannecchia,
  • Roberta Bibbò and
  • Stefania De Simone
  • + 3 authors+ 0 author

Background/Objectives: Traumatic brain injury is one of the leading causes of death and disability. When traumatic brain injury is repeated over time, it can lead to the development of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a chronic neurodegenerative dis...

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Interdisciplinary Frontiers in Forensic Sciences: Innovations, Ethical Principles and Collaborative Approaches)
  • Article
  • Open Access
7 Citations
5,208 Views
36 Pages

Exploring Cranial Growth Patterns from Birth to Adulthood for Forensic Research and Practice

  • Briana T. New,
  • Kyra E. Stull,
  • Louise K. Corron and
  • Christopher A. Wolfe

Although cranial growth has been extensively explored, forensic and biological anthropology lack a formal incorporation of how cranial growth processes impact the adult phenotype and downstream biological profile estimations. Objectives: This researc...

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forensic Anthropology and Human Biological Variation)
  • Review
  • Open Access
6 Citations
39,783 Views
19 Pages

Anabolic–Androgenic Steroids and Brain Damage: A Review of Evidence and Medico-Legal Implications

  • Mario Giuseppe Chisari,
  • Massimiliano Esposito,
  • Salvatore Alloca,
  • Sabrina Franco and ,
  • Martina Francaviglia,
  • Gianpietro Volonnino,
  • Raffaella Rinaldi,
  • Nicola Di Fazio and
  • Lucio Di Mauro
  • + 4 authors+ 0 author

Background: Anabolic–androgenic steroids (AASs) are commonly used for performance enhancement but have been linked to significant neurobiological consequences. This review explores the impact of AASs on neurochemical pathways, cognitive functio...

  • Systematic Review
  • Open Access
12 Citations
5,095 Views
12 Pages

Advancing Diagnostic Tools in Forensic Science: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Gunshot Wound Investigation—A Systematic Review

  • Francesco Sessa,
  • Mario Chisari,
  • Massimiliano Esposito,
  • Elisa Guardo and ,
  • Lucio Di Mauro,
  • Monica Salerno and
  • Cristoforo Pomara
  • + 2 authors+ 0 author

Background/Objectives: Artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to be applied in wound ballistics, showing preliminary potential to improve the accuracy and objectivity of forensic analyses. This review explores the current state of AI applications...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
3,789 Views
17 Pages

Analysis of Footstep/Stride Length from Gait Patterns of Dynamic Footprints as a Parameter for Biological Profiling—A Preliminary Study

  • Petra Švábová,
  • Darina Falbová,
  • Zuzana Kozáková,
  • Mária Chovancová and ,
  • Lenka Vorobeľová and
  • Radoslav Beňuš
  • + 1 author+ 0 author

In forensic sciences, particularly in forensic anthropology and podiatry, assessing a person’s stature helps create a biological profile that allows for more accurate identification. Background/Objectives: When considering dynamic footprints as...

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forensic Anthropology and Human Biological Variation)
  • Article
  • Open Access
3 Citations
1,978 Views
13 Pages

Development of a Fluorescent Ionic Liquid Nanosensor for the Onsite Detection of Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate

  • Joel E. R. Moss,
  • Kathryn Hamory,
  • Robert Moreland,
  • Carolyn B. Oakley and ,
  • David K. Bwambok and
  • Vivian E. Fernand Narcisse
  • + 1 author+ 0 author

Background/Objectives: Over the past few decades, controlled substance abuse in drug-facilitated sexual assaults (DFSAs) has significantly increased worldwide, leading to an urgency to develop rapid and selective drug detection methods for field use...

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Forensic Sci. - ISSN 2673-6756